Mumbai Crime: Two women travel with fake passports, arrested

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Mumbai's Sahar police arrested two Cameroon national women at Mumbai International Airport to when they were travelling to Paris using fake passports. According to the police, the accused were identified as Alvine Nokem, 33 and Ololie Konhawo, 41. The two accused were arrested in the wee hours of Sunday when they visited the immigration checking counter number 44 of the airport.

"When both the females visited the immigration counter the officials checked their passport with the help of UV light system and found out that their passport's bio page is bogus. When the immigration officials initiated an inquiry they found out that the female nationals of Cameroon had made fake passports of Guatemala nationality and that they are originally Cameroon citizens."

Following the investigation, the accused revealed that they wanted to shift to Europe for a better future and job opportunities. They said that they met a person over Facebook who was posing as a passport agent. The Facebook agent helped them in creating passports for the two women and charged them 2000 Euros for each passport. He also claimed that this was the fee for Guatemala nationality.

Police further found out that the Facebook agent instructed them to take a flight via Mumbai in order to enter Europe. He further suggested that they travel from Togo to Addis Ababa and from there to Mumbai, India. On November 12, both the accused in the case began their journey and on November 13, they reached Mumbai. After their arrival in the city, both of the accused stayed at a Colaba-based five-star hotel until November 16.

On November 17, at around 1 am the two accused arrived at Mumbai Airport to board the 9W-124 flight which was scheduled from Mumbai to Paris. It was then that they where they were caught by the immigration department. The police have booked both the accused under sections 465, 468, 471, 420 and 34 of Indian Penal Code.

While talking to MID-DAY Advocate Prabhakar Tripathi said, "These women are innocent and have been cheated by the agent who has supplied forged visas (not confirmed from issuing authorities) to these women. Both women were produced before the court and remanded to police custody till November 21."

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